TEDxCERN “Ripples of Curiosity” videos are now online

Samira Hayat on redefining the role drones play in society (Image: TEDxCERN)

Videos of the awe-inspiring 4th annual TEDxCERN event “Ripples of Curiosity” are online and available for viewing.

The TEDxCERN events explore the relationships between humans and technology through a series of TED-style talks. Speakers on this year’s theme, Ripple of Curiosity, examined how ideas that started as small ripples in science, technology and education are converging and creating waves of change.

The videos are approximately twelve minutes in length and each features an expert telling the true stories behind the milestones in her or his field.

Physicist Sheila Rowan (below) elucidated the phenomenal discovery of gravitational waves and how we can now study the most distant areas of the universe by listening to the space-time ripples that pass through Earth.

Sheila Rowan bends minds and perspectives in her lucid explanation of gravitational waves – the study of which she has dedicated her whole career. (Video: TEDx)

While Dennis Lo (below) recounted how inspiration struck while he was cooking noodles, leading to his revolutionary procedure for non-invasive prenatal testing. And Eleonore Paweuls highlighted the promise and perils of DNA editing, which involves replacing faulty genes to treat and cure diseases.

Early in his career, Dennis Lo questioned why invasive and sometimes life threatening methods of diagnosing diseases in DNA, continued to take place. His research enabled him to develop a non-invasive technique for prenatal testing. In his talk he shares how he hopes that with a similar technology a single blood test could be used in early cancer detection. (Video: TEDx)

Other topics included global literacy, DIY science, drones, oceanography, health innovations and the origins of creativity.

The event itself was attended by 300 people and an estimated 3800 people tuned in via the live webcast.